Cosmoledo Eco Camp

Roughly 600 miles from the Seychelles capital, Victoria, pristine Cosmoledo Atoll comprises around 22 islands encircling a shallow lagoon. One of the largest, Wizard Island, has the Eco Lodge with its eight eco pods, kitchen tent, bar and restaurant tent, and small activity tent.

To reach Cosmoledo you need to take an early morning three-hour flight from Mahe to Astove Island, then an hour’s boat ride to the atoll. Once on Wizard Island, your sense of sublime isolation will be profound and serene as you take in the insular beauty all around.

The island attracts fly and deep sea fishermen, and divers and snorkellers keen to experience one of the Indian Ocean’s last unspoiled marine gems. Surrounding and within the atoll is a wonderfully healthy marine environment and islands filled with roosting seabirds and ancient mangroves. Cosmoledo is a globally important seabird site with the Seychelles’ largest colonies of three species of booby: masked, red footed and brown, the latter colony being the last viable population of that endangered seabird.

The lagoon’s tidal flats provide world class catch-and-release fly fishing and the diving is fabulous with plenty of fish species and healthy coral reefs supported by upwellings of colder water to counteract the effects of global warming, so damaging to many of the world’s reef systems. You will encounter many mid-size species such as grouper, so often lacking on other reefs worldwide where fishing has decimated such fish: no reef fishing for the plate is practised at Cosmoledo.

Included in your stay are non-motorised water sports such as kayaks, SUPs and snorkelling equipment, the return boat transfer from Astove, three meals a day with inclusive wine, soft drinks and tea and coffee. The delicious food is superbly presented, often using fresh fish from the surrounding sea such as yellow fin tuna, rainbow runner and wahoo. Also included is a guided tour of Wizard Island and a guided reef flats excursion. Optional boat tours and diving and fishing packages are available. Return flights from Mahe to Astove are extra.

Opened in December 2018, the South African-run operation is efficient and friendly. All the staff do a great job, including the on-site naturalist who will gladly guide you around the atoll’s natural history attractions. The lodge is open from mid-November to April each year.